Median price trend for houses
Based on 113 sales in the preceding 12 months
$1,650,000
Up 15.6% over 12 months
- 1 bed
- $1m
- 2 bed
- $1.26m
- 3 bed
- $1.9m
- 4 bed
- $2.82m
- 5+ bed
- $4.6m
Historic town hall with a central clocktower
Donaldytong · CC BY-SA 3.0
The quick read on
South Melbourne
VIC 3205 · Port Phillip
What homes cost, how rents have moved, and a feel for the people who call it home.
- Median house
- $1,650,000
- Median unit
- $614,000
- Population
- 11,548
- Postcode
- 3205
latest suburb median
latest suburb median
ABS 2021
South Melbourne, Victoria
Property market insights for South Melbourne
Median sale price and rental income of properties in South Melbourne VIC
Median rent trend for houses
Based on 131 rental listings in the preceding 12 months
$800 per week
Up 6.7% over 12 months
Market data updated October 2026.
The median house price in South Melbourne, VIC is currently $1,650,000, based on the latest 12 months of sales. South Melbourne has a 12-month growth rate of 15.6% for houses and 2.3% for units.
One-bedroom houses have a median sale price of $1,000,000, Two-bedroom houses have a median sale price of $1,260,000, Three-bedroom houses have a median sale price of $1,900,000, Four-bedroom houses have a median sale price of $2,820,000, Larger houses have a median sale price of $4,600,000 in South Melbourne.
If you're looking to lease, the median rent for houses in South Melbourne is $800 per week. The median house rent has increased 6.7% over the last 12 months.
The median price of apartments and units for sale in South Melbourne is $614,000, which has increased 2.3% since the same time last year. One-bedroom apartments and units have a median sale price of $450,000, Two-bedroom apartments and units have a median sale price of $630,000, Three-bedroom apartments and units have a median sale price of $1,090,000 in South Melbourne. The median rent for units and apartments in South Melbourne is $675 per week and has increased 3.8% over the last 12 months.
Crime and safety
Is South Melbourne safe?
The overall rate for South Melbourne is 14,649 offences per 100,000 residents — 266% above the Greater Melbourne benchmark.
That is the clearest suburb-wide answer. Open the detailed profile to see how the pattern changes across offence types and different parts of South Melbourne.
Overall crime rate
14,649
offences per 100,000 residents
266% aboveGreater Melbourne
South MelbourneGreater Melbourne: 4,001
Suburb-wide estimate from Microburbs' public crime model; it is not an address-level measure.
The people behind the postcode
Who lives in South Melbourne?
South Melbourne VIC 3205 is in Victoria, within Greater Melbourne.
11,548 people call South Melbourne home, with an average of 1.9 people per household and a median household income of $2,101 a week.
Public ABS 2021 Census figures. The bars compare the local share with the capital-region benchmark.
- Population
- 11,548
- Median age
- 39 years
- Median mortgage
- $2,200 / month
- 2021 household rent
- $421 / week
Above the benchmarkBelow the benchmarkIn lineGreater Melbourne benchmark
Age profile
Share of residents in each age band.
Under 1511.6%Below
15–3430.5%Above
35–5431.6%Above
55–7419.3%In line
75 and over7.0%In line
Homes
Share of occupied private dwellings.
Separate houses4.7%Below
Townhouses35.4%Above
Apartments58.5%Above
Ownership
Share of homes with a stated ownership or rental status.
Owned outright19.5%Below
Paying a mortgage24.0%Below
Renting56.5%Above
Cars at home
Vehicles available to occupied households.
No car23.4%Above
One car55.7%Above
Two cars17.7%Below
Three or more3.1%Below
Getting to work
Selected ways residents worked or travelled on Census day.
Worked from home46.9%Above
Drove to work20.8%Below
Train, tram or bus6.5%Above
Walked or cycled10.9%Above
What stands out in South Melbourne
46.9% of workers in South Melbourne worked from home on Census day — noticeably more common than across Greater Melbourne.
4.8% of South Melbourne residents were born in England.
49.1% of people in South Melbourne described themselves as having no religion in the 2021 Census.
A closer look at the Census
Questions people ask about South Melbourne
Open any question for a plain-English reading of the public 2021 Census for South Melbourne VIC 3205.
Is South Melbourne family-friendly?Age, family structure and household size describe the community families would be joining.
11.6% of South Melbourne's residents were children under 15 in the 2021 Census. That is well below the Greater Melbourne average.
2,853 family households lived in South Melbourne; 29.5% were couple families and 13.5% were one-parent families.
28.3% of local families included children under 15. That is well below the Greater Melbourne average.
These are suburb-wide household figures, not school or childcare ratings.
What is the age profile of South Melbourne?The balance between younger adults, families and older residents changes how a suburb feels day to day.
South Melbourne had 11,548 residents at the 2021 Census.
39.0% of residents were aged 25 to 44.
26.3% were 55 or older. That is almost exactly typical for Greater Melbourne.
Age shares use the suburb’s total Census population.
What kind of homes are in South Melbourne?The dwelling mix shows whether the suburb is mostly detached homes, townhouses or apartments.
Separate houses made up 4.7% of occupied private dwellings in South Melbourne.
Townhouses and other attached homes represented 35.4% of occupied private dwellings.
Flats and apartments accounted for 58.5% of occupied private dwellings.
All three shares use occupied private dwellings as the denominator.
Do people own or rent in South Melbourne?Tenure shows how many households own outright, have a mortgage or rent.
19.5% of households with a stated tenure owned their home outright. That is well below the Greater Melbourne average.
24.0% were buying their home with a mortgage.
56.5% rented their home. That is about twice the Greater Melbourne rate.
Tenure shares include households that stated one of these three arrangements.
How large are households in South Melbourne?Household-size data shows the mix behind the suburb-wide average.
The average household in South Melbourne had 1.9 people.
One-person households made up 43.1% of occupied homes. That is well above the Greater Melbourne average.
Two-person households represented 36.3%, while 9.8% had four or more usual residents.
Household size counts usual residents in occupied homes.
How do people get to work in South Melbourne?Census-day travel shows the balance between home, road, public transport and active travel.
46.9% of workers worked from home on Census day. That is well above the Greater Melbourne average.
20.8% drove a car as their only travel method. That is about half the Greater Melbourne rate.
6.5% used only a train, tram or bus, while 10.9% walked or cycled.
Travel figures are a 2021 Census-day snapshot.
How many cars do households have in South Melbourne?Vehicle availability helps describe the routines local households can support.
23.4% of occupied households had no motor vehicle available. That is about twice the Greater Melbourne rate.
One-car households formed 55.7% of the total.
20.8% of households had two or more vehicles.
Vehicle counts refer to occupied households, not individual residents.
Who's moving to South Melbourne, and who stays?Address history shows how settled or recently mobile residents were at the Census date.
43.0% were at the same address five years earlier, while 57.0% reported a different address.
35.3% of residents were born outside Australia. That is almost exactly typical for Greater Melbourne.
Mobility figures cover residents who answered the relevant Census question.
What languages are spoken in South Melbourne?Language at home gives a direct view of the community’s everyday linguistic mix.
70.3% of residents used only English at home.
23.9% used a language other than English at home.
3.2% spoke Mandarin at home, 1.4% spoke Cantonese and 0.6% spoke Hindi.
Home language is separate from English proficiency.
Where were South Melbourne residents born?Birthplace adds another layer to the local story, separate from ancestry and language.
35.3% of South Melbourne's population was born outside Australia, while roughly 64.7% was born in Australia.
2.6% of residents were born in China.
1.7% were born in India, while Australian citizenship across the whole suburb stood at 78.2%.
Birthplace, citizenship and ancestry describe different parts of identity.
What ancestries shape South Melbourne?Ancestry responses show how residents describe family and cultural background.
English ancestry accounted for 32.1% of ancestry responses in South Melbourne.
Australian ancestry made up 22.8% of responses.
Chinese ancestry represented 7.5% of responses.
People may nominate more than one ancestry, so these are shares of responses.
What work do people do in South Melbourne?Occupation describes a person’s role; industry describes the sector employing them.
40.5% of employed residents worked in professional occupations. That is well above the Greater Melbourne average.
Managers accounted for 21.4% of employed residents, while clerical and administrative workers made up 11.9%.
Health care and social assistance employed 9.7% of workers, and education and training employed 7.3%.
Occupation and industry figures describe employed residents of the suburb.
How active is the workforce in South Melbourne?Participation, employment pattern and unemployment describe the resident labour force.
The labour-force participation rate was 68.3%, compared with 64.1% across Greater Melbourne.
44.9% of residents aged 15 and over worked full time, while 16.3% worked part time.
Unemployment was 5.2%, compared with 5.3% across Greater Melbourne.
Labour-force figures come from the 2021 Census.
What does the health profile of South Melbourne show?Selected long-term health conditions help describe community service needs.
62.7% reported no selected long-term health condition.
9.8% reported a long-term mental health condition, including depression or anxiety.
7.8% reported asthma, 5.9% arthritis and 3.0% diabetes excluding gestational diabetes.
These are self-reported suburb-wide Census figures, not address-level health risks.
How educated is South Melbourne?Qualifications describe the study pathways represented among local residents.
41.0% of people in the qualifications table held a bachelor degree. That is well above the Greater Melbourne average.
Postgraduate degrees accounted for 18.8% of qualification responses.
Diploma-level qualifications represented 12.2%, while certificate-level qualifications represented 10.8%.
Qualification categories are reported separately and are not school ratings.
What do incomes and housing costs look like in South Melbourne?Census income and household payments give historical context for local living costs.
Median household income was $2,101 per week in the 2021 Census.
The median monthly mortgage repayment reported by local households was $2,200.
Occupied renting households reported a median rent of $421 per week.
These household figures are from 2021; current sale and asking-rent medians appear in the market section.
How does South Melbourne compare with Greater Melbourne?A few clear differences place the suburb in its wider metropolitan context.
Working from home was 46.9% in South Melbourne, compared with 28.8% across Greater Melbourne.
Outright ownership was 19.5% locally and 30.7% across Greater Melbourne. That is well below the Greater Melbourne average.
Renting accounted for 56.5% in South Melbourne, against 31.1% across Greater Melbourne.
Capital-region comparisons use the same Census definitions and year.
Three useful questions
A buyer’s quick guide to South Melbourne
Is South Melbourne expensive?
The median house price is $1,650,000, while units and apartments sit at $614,000. Bedroom count, land and condition still create a wide range around those suburb medians.
Is South Melbourne good for families?
The Census counted 2,853 local families, and 11.6% of residents were under 15. That describes the community; school quality, travel times and the right fit for a particular family need separate research.
What can I get for $1.5m in South Melbourne?
2-bedroom houses have a median around $1,260,000, the closest bedroom benchmark we hold to a $1.5m budget. Individual homes can differ substantially with block size, renovation and location.
Medians describe recorded market activity across the suburb; they are historical context, not a valuation or forecast for an individual home.
Explore the area
Streets and suburbs around South Melbourne
130 streets in South Melbourne
Street-by-street reports are not published yet. The streets below are the ones this suburb covers.
- Albert Pl
- Albert Rd
- Alfred Pl
- Alfred St
- Anderson St
- Argyle Pl
- Bank Pl
- Bank St
- Boundary Street
- Brady St
- Bridport St
- Brooke St
- Brooke St North
- Buckhurst St
- Carlisle Street
- Cecil Pl
- Cecil St
- Charles St
Show all 130 streetsShow fewer streets
- Church St
- City Rd
- Clarendon Pl
- Clarendon St
- Clarke St
- Cobden St
- Coote St
- Coventry Pl
- Coventry St
- Craine St
- Dorcas St
- Dow St
- Draper St
- Eastern Rd
- Emerald
- Emerald Hill Pl
- Emerald St
- Eville St
- Ferrars Pl
- Ferrars St
- Fishley St
- Fitzpatrick St
- Francis St
- George St
- Gittus St
- Gladstone Gr
- Gladstone Pl
- Gladstone Street
- Glover St
- Heather St
- Henderson St
- Hotham St
- Howe Cr
- Iffla St
- James Service Pl
- Johnson St
- John St
- Kent Pl
- Kerr Street
- Kings Place
- Kings Way
- Law St
- Layfield Street
- Little Boundary St
- Little Glover St
- Little Iffla St
- Little Lyell St
- Little Moray Pl
- Little Mountain St
- Little Tribe St
- Lyell St
- Market Street
- Marshall St
- Martin St
- Merton St
- Montague Pl
- Montague St
- Moray St
- Morris St
- Mountain St
- Munro St
- Napier Pl
- Napier St
- Nelson Pl
- Nelson Rd
- Nixon Pl
- Normanby Road
- Normanby St
- Northumberland St
- Palmer St
- Palmerston Cr
- Park Pl
- Park St
- Park Street
- Patterson Pl
- Peel Pl
- Perrins St
- Pickles St
- Queen St
- Raglan Pl
- Raglan St
- Reilly Pl
- Roseneath Pl
- Rosherville Pl
- Ross Pl
- Ross St
- Sandilands St
- Shamrock Pl
- Smith St
- Stead St
- St Luke St
- Sturt St
- St Vincent St
- Tates Pl
- Thistlethwaite St
- Thomson St
- Tichborne Pl
- Tope St
- Tribe St
- Union Pl
- Union St
- Ward St
- Wells St
- White St
- Williams Pl
- Wilson St
- Wolseley St
- Woodgate St
- Wynyard St
- Yarra Pl
- Yarra St
- York St
12 suburbs surrounding South Melbourne
Compare nearby suburb prices, rents and five-year market trends.
Keep exploring
Is South Melbourne right for your search?
Use the finders to compare places and properties, or open the full report when you need the street, risk, schools and growth research.
Read the thinking
Figures update as new market and census data arrives. This suburb overview is general information, not a valuation or financial advice.